Talking to Your Health Care Team
Learning that you or a loved one has liver cancer can be scary and overwhelming. You may have a lot of questions but may not be sure what to ask or what to do. It is important that you talk to your health care team, which can include doctors, nurses, dietitians and social workers, and ask them any questions you may have. This webpage offers some ideas to help you through this initial process.
Preparing for Your Appointment
Because your appointment may be brief and you likely will have a lot to talk about, below are 5 useful tips for preparing for your appointment.
- Before your appointment, obtain copies of any test results or other medical information related to the liver cancer diagnosis and take these copies with you to your appointment.
- Make a list of all symptoms, including those that may seem unimportant. Take this list with you to your appointment so they are easier to remember when you’re talking to the health care provider.
- Make a list of all medications, including any vitamins or supplements that you're taking, and discuss this list with your health care provider at the appointment.
- Write down any questions you want to ask your health care provider. List the most important questions first, in case you run out of time at your appointment. Here is a list of questions you may want to ask.
- Take a family member or friend with you to the appointment. Ask them to take notes if possible and to help you remember the questions you prepared. Two sets of ears are better than one, and after the appointment you can compare notes.